ICELAND HISTORY

In history of iceland, the earliest inhabitants of Iceland were Irish hermits, who left the island upon the arrival of the pagan Norse people in the late 9th century. The history of iceland has been preserved in the Icelandic sagas of the 13th century. A constitution was drawn up c. 930 created a form of democracy and provided for an Althing, the world's oldest practicing legislative assembly.

After the unification of the kingdoms Norway, Sweden, and Denmark in 1397, Iceland came under the Danish control passed from the Norwegian rule in 1262-12654. In 1874, Icelanders obtained their own constitution, and in 1918, Denmark recognized Iceland, via the Act of Union, as a separate state with unlimited sovereignty. It remained, however, nominally under the Danish monarchy.

During the German occupation of Denmark in World War II, history of iceland saw British, then American, troops occupying Iceland and using it for a strategic air base. While officially neutral, Iceland cooperated with the Allies throughout the conflict. On June 17, 1944, after a popular referendum, the Althing proclaimed Iceland an independent republic.

In the year 1970, iceland history was admitted to the European Free Trade Association. Iceland unilaterally extended its territorial fishing limit from 3 to 200 nautical miles in 1972, precipitating a dispute with the UK known as the "cod wars," which ended in 1976 when the UK recognized the new limits. In 1980, the first female chief of state a woman was elected by Iceland people to the office of the presidency. After the recession of the early 1990s, Iceland's economy rebounded.

Iceland history saw in May 2003, David Oddsson being reelected, making him the longest-serving prime minister in Europe. In 2004, in a prearranged agreement made between the two parties of the coalition government, Oddsson and Foreign Minister Halldor asgrimsson switched positions.